Only Glitter Remains
by KAMfiction
Summary: The elements of harmony lead the Mane6 to the discovery of an ancient castle, inhabited long ago by a race of ponies who have come out of hiding for the first time. Will Equestria ever be the same?
1. Chapter 1

_ Dear Criminee,_

_ I was never a normal pony, like the others I once knew. They are all asleep now, biding their time, absorbed into their own fragments of reality and existence._

_ I stayed behind, or behind enough, to watch two others leave for good, or so I thought. They were bold, and strong enough to find their way out into the world alone. They are Sisters, kind to each other (or so I think), and I reflect on their bravery from time to time. But they are gone now, and so seem my friends, as I chose neither to run nor to hide. I simply stayed put, obscured from the view of either world._

_ This castle has been good enough for me, though its size made me feel even more alone and cold. The thoughts and logic of my queen when she made the castle almost entirely out of carved marble was still beyond me. I remembered other castles like this one, far away, and I wondered if they are still standing tall (albeit hidden from view like this one)._

_ I thought it funny how things work out through time, and so very odd that nopony ever dared venture into the swamp surrounding one of the most beautiful constructions in Equestria. The castle sits empty now, and it will be more empty soon._

_ Shadows chase me down the halls, and forces swirl around my hooves. This castle is my home, and it has been my home for so long that I wonder if it will ever regain its original occupancies. My collection of wines still awaits guests to entertain, and the kitchen sits idle with no feasts to prepare. The parapets are empty, for there has not been a kingdom worth guarding for so many years. _

_ Two sisters visited me long ago, looking for answers that I did not really have. They took some books from the library with them. I believed that they were entitled to the books they took, but I realized that either way, only I would ever care. They mentioned something about Discord, which I found odd, for I knew a Senator Discord even longer ago... _

_ A thousand years have passed, perhaps more, because I never paid attention to the time. Time is a strange beast to me still, and if I watched it I would most certainly be driven farther into madness. I cannot stand to leave my tiny space between two worlds, for if I did I would have to face the truth on either side._

_ I spend a lot of time playing with the magic here, it is the only way to pass the time, other than sleeping constantly. I haven't eaten anything since I was last visited by Criminee..._

_ I have been thinking about our last encounter, which was at least 100 years ago. I still wonder What you have done to himself, because you were so wonderful once. I remember a Criminee that was so kind and so caring, and my only question is "how did you ever... turn so wrong." _

_ I remember that meeting very clearly. I think it was the damned elements, your pet project and enduring gift to the world. Even if you are so corrupted that you hate any scrap of good in the world, you cannot deny that the sisters use the power of the elements for good, or so they did ever so many years ago. _

_ I could feel your hatred rubbing into my soul, much like feelings I once had when I merely touched a green gem of his. I still wish that I was strong enough to help you. I still wonder if I was even willing to help at all. In any case, I have not even been strong enough to open the castle's grand doors, to go find the sisters, and save the kingdom if you ever return._

_ Damn those doors, they held me inside this place for so long, away from the sweet release of death, and I did not even try to open them. Some days I would think about opening the doors, and I stared at their golden panels longingly, dreaming about the wonderful world that lay beyond them, warm and full of life._

_ My predicament is an odd one, for sure. I believe that I understand the pains all builders face, unable to age from that fateful day, and only able to die if they leave the sheltering comfort of their own worlds._

_ Several years ago, I heard laughter, somewhere in the castle, innocent childish laughter. It was in a voice I once recognized, before the bearer of the voice destroyed himself. It was your voice, from long ago. It was the voice before you touched that green gem, when you were happy._

_ I felt a mixture of caution and excitement at the sound, and I broke into an almost cheerful canter, traveling towards the main hall of the castle. A brilliant red glob of energy was flying about the room, giggling and squealing with joy. The spot swooped down towards me, and dove into the marble floor. _

_ "WAIT!" I screamed, wishing to speak to somepony, even if it was a mere hallucination, but I realized my cry was in vain. I reflected on the emptiness of the castle, thinking about the contemporary irrelevance of my race of ponies. _

_ I cannot express myself anymore, I wish that I could make you happy again, instead of hopeless. There are only two ponies of our race left that understand, and I do not know if they would have anything to say to you anymore that would even help. _

_ The two sisters are the last relevant builders left, and as they grew up outside of our castle, their appearance has changed much to mesh with the world they grew up in. They never really spoke in the builders tongue, though they could understand it without magical aids. They have grown horns and wings since you last saw them, and are no longer really builders themselves. _

_ I understood that the builders were going to go extinct eventually, along with the other ancient races (if they had not already). Essentially, we were rendered immortal and relieved of the pains of growing old. Our magic preformed this, at a great cost to us. _

_ I did not understand the pains of immortality until I experienced them, many of those who discovered the horrors of it found magical routes around the curse, which ultimately caused them to die at their leisure. Others simply willed themselves not to exist, for one reason or another, and joined the energies of the earth, to repay for our sins._

_ Those ponies still were able to rejoin the world in physical form, and they spent their time much like I did. I tried to live life with other builders before, in their current place in the world, but the pain I find, when I run into somepony else made my isolation a relief in comparison._

_ Criminee, I wish I could save you, truly I do, but I have lost faith in myself and all else. I will begin reviewing magic again, I will discover that spell that negates my immortality. This process will take a long time, and perhaps it might even call you out of your realm of darkness and light. I will die soon enough, sometime before you read this letter. I still believe in your redemption. _

_ Please tell Sanguine, and the Sisters of this, if you ever meet them again (or have the heart to)_

_ Your sister, Chartreuse_

**Chartreuse's POV**

I finished writing my letter, staring intently at the book _Immortality, its cause and Cure_ in front of me. More than a millennium had not done the tome any favors, but the book would still provide me with enough information about my predicament

I laid the book out on a table, thinking about the implications of my actions. The ink on my letter dried in the still air, and I waved it to make sure that the ink would not run when I pressed it.

I lifted the glass of the nightstand, laying the letter directly on the dark wood of the tabletop. I placed the glass back over the parchment, allowing the glass to slowly press all imperfections out of the paper. I opened the book, flipping directly to the page of "Cures".

I recoiled in horror. The letters on every page were blacked out by the same heavy ink that the rest of the book was written in. There was no way for me to read the information that was once stored within. My freedom, my plans, my final days of rest... ruined.

A note fell out of the book, fluttering open on the floor, face down. I flipped it over with my hoof, looking at the careful and elegant calligraphy within.

_ Dear Chartreuse,_

_ Sorry, I need you, in time you will understand. There is no longer any knowledge or way out of this predicament that you face. Time will reward me for your unfortunate perils, and it is my distinct pleasure to have saved my sisters live in such a lovely way._

_ This is the last communication you will see from me, until I return to my true form. If you desire to warn the others, do so now, I can feel the planets slowly creeping into the positions I desire to return in full. Say "Hello" to those damned traitors for me!_

_ -Criminee-_

"The planets" I thought, rushing through the empty castle halls, to the library. I noticed a book lying on one of the reading tables, that I had not seen before, though It was years since I looked at the library in any detail. A note was pinned directly to the cover of the book, in the same pen that was used for the previous letter.

_Just making your search easier, Page 522, -C-_

_ PS; Check the calendar!_

I flipped to page 522, finding all but one word blacked out in the same tactic used previously.

_ Elements _

I understood that I was really trapped now, Criminee always took years and years to design these games, and his schemes were often so flawless, that they were almost impossible to break apart. I desired to understand as much as I could about what that twisted stallion could be enacting as I live and breathe.

The calendar sat in the unused observatory in the Queen's tower. I galloped towards the tower, even though I could have taken hours, or even days to do so. A gigantic and precise clockwork mechanism still magically operated in the tower, moving elegant and thin metal hands along a giant carved marble disk. The hand for days, months, and years were all about to touch three different lines scraped into the marble with a chisel... The metal hands looked so close to the engraved lines, that I thought that they might touch directly on top of the marks... Tomorrow.

"Perhaps I will keep myself alive for yet another couple years, after all." I sighed, thinking that this new development might even turn out interesting...


	2. Chapter 1 Disorder

The Last of Their Kind

By R.

Chapter 1

Twilight paced her library, unsettled, as a cold but clear winter night blew small flurries of snow over the chilled ground. She stepped outside, on to her balcony, looking at how the stars seemed to shimmer differently, almost as if they were speaking to her in a language she did not understand.

A sudden gust of cold air blew out her candle upstairs, and fumbling in the dark to light it, she tripped over a box, where the glowing element of magic fell out. Rather than falling to the floor, the element floated in the air, snapping on twilight's head, and began coaxing her to leave the house.

"SPIIIKEE!" Twilight yelled, but to no avail, spike was sound asleep.

"Owlicious, bring me a pen and paper please!" Twilight rushed through her words, as if she was now in a great hurry.

The owl complied, dropping a pen and parchment at Twilight's hooves. Taking the pen with her magic, and furiously wrote a letter, signing it, without the usual "your faithful" replacing her signature with "-TS-"

Twilight heard a voice, ancient, pure, and in a language she never heard of before. Fighting the powerful commands from the element to journey onwards, she asked Owlicious to find "Ancient and Dead Magical Languages, a reference guide"

Owlicious dropped the book at her hooves, and said "Hoo", asking if anything else was to be done. "Owlicious, take my letter and TRY to have spike send it, if not you must get it to Celestia right away" With that, Twilight slipped the book into her saddlebag, threw open the door and ran to the town center.

**Unknown POV**

My time has come, I thought to myself, as I walked to the swinging wooden sign of a jewelry store. I carried a bag of money, and a gem more precious than all else, or at least to me. The signs written in the stars and planets were all correct, and I felt that everything I had dreamed was about to fall into place.

"As long as I can get what I want, when I want, and _how_ I want it!" I exclaimed to myself, pushing the door open as a silver bell tinkled. "This must be the place."

The jewelry store was a small one, but prosperous and most certainly capable. A watchmaker also worked here, but I was interested in the creation of a necklace. The jeweler stood behind a glass counter, wary of my presence and intentions. I plopped my small bag of gems on the counter, careful not to touch them, and looked back up towards the mare, noticing the sharpness of her breathing

A smile crept over my face, as I stared at the horrified mare across the glass counter. "I see that you know what these gems once were." I stated, motioning to the glowing green gem on the counter.

The teal mare nodded, as her expression of panic grew on her face. Her hooves shook on the ground as she looked back at me. "No, please, not this..." She stammered, continuing to have fear-filled tremors "Anything but this, PLEASE"

Needless to say, I HATE pleading, with all the fiber of my being. I knew that this task would destroy the skilled pony, but I really did not care about the life she threw away so long ago to me. "You know what will happen if you do what I ask, but I assure you, that if you don't do what I ask, consequences that are far worse will happen."

The teal mare began to cry, she knew what I was asking of her, and what would happen to the victim involved in my scheme. A tea kettle whistled in the background, but she did not seem to notice.

"I will have Earl Grey with lemon and _no sugar" _ I stated, watching the heavy hearted mare walk to the back room, returning with two white tea cups. I sipped my tea, savoring its flavor, which was close to the best Earl Grey I had ever had. 

"Not perfect, but tolerable nonetheless" I stated, smiling at the distraught and destroyed mare in front of me, as a few drops of tea were flung out of her shaking tea cup.

"Buck up, Diamond Blaze!" I laughed "If anything, do it for _your_ _foals!_"

Her tea cup shattered on the floor, splashing tea on the white marble tiles. Tears began to stream down her face and her shaking became even worse. I could see the hatred of me growing in her beautiful hazel eyes, as we stared at each other, listening to the watches ticking in the background.

The mare finally spoke "Cash upfront, you heartless bastard, and NEVER STEP IN MY STORE AGAIN!" The mare was screaming then, screaming with all her strength and will against me and all what I stood for. I did not care, she was disposable, along with her little foals.

A promise is a promise though, and for a moment I almost felt a bit of pity for the doomed mother of three. My feeling was soon washed away with the realization that I was soon to acquire _everything_ I desired, and on my own terms!

"One necklace _please_, mounted in silver. Leave it in my mail slot, and I will forget all information you would rather put behind yourself, as well as leaving the rest of your family alone forever.

I dropped a bag of gold dust on the counter with a dull thud, and I turned to walk out of the store, leaving my gem behind me. The bell tinkled as I opened the shop door, and I turned back to give the soon to be destroyed pony a final smirk. "Keep the change"

This was going to be one hell of a good day!

**3rd Person POV**

At the town center, Twilight saw that she was not the only one struggling against their element. Rainbow Dash flew into a lamp post, sauntering over towards Twilight, attempting to look nonchalant. Fluttershy walked towards the town center, every once in a while turning around and wishing she could return home, but walking to the town center nonetheless.

Pinkie Pie bounced in, with fresh baked cupcakes balanced oh her head, laughing, and Rarity strolled into the town center, angered slightly about her loss of "beauty sleep". Applejack came last, fighting her element the longest, until she finally gave in and traveled to the town center, surprised to see her friends there as well.

"Well isn't this a pleasant surprise!" Exclaimed Applejack. "I thought I was the only one!"

"it is not so certainly pleasant" retorted Rarity.

"There is something funny about our elements" Twilight noted "they are pulling us together, but I think they really want us to go into the forest, and I have no idea why"

"Uh, Sherlock, we kind of figured that one out on our own." Quipped Applejack, much to the delight of Rainbow Dash, who exclaimed "I think we should go forward and see where they take us!"

"Into the nasty forest with mud and bugs and horrible dirt" Grumbled Rarity

"...and wonderful nighttime creatures" sang Fluttershy

"Hang ON" I think Twilight is trying to tell us something..." interrupted Applejack, noticing the pony's expressions as Twilight read deeper into her book.

Twilight began to recite the text in her usual way. "It says here that the language we are hearing was a language formally spoken by a pony tribe that has not been seen in Equestria for more than a thousand years." The language has not been translated, but is reportedly seen inscribed in some of the innermost arches of Canterlot Castle, and in other small constructions around Equestria" Twilight flipped the page, looking more and more concerned

"The language is connected to an unknown kind of magic, which has disappeared from pony use about the same time the tribe disappeared, however remnants of the mysterious forms of magic emanate from many carved stone works within Canterlot, which have been noted for their self-healing nature"

The group wandered into the Everfree Forest, not understanding the words their elements were telling them, but somehow understanding the directions given. The language was unintelligible, but they knew, somehow, where their Elements intended for them to travel.

About 100 paces into the journey, Rarity began to whine "My hooves are too cold, how long must we keep walking? Oh I WISH I had brought a warmer coat." Rainbow dash rolled her eyes.

Twilight and her friends had been walking by the guidance of the elements for a long time, the night was at its darkest, cold and unforgiving. Suddenly they came to an uncomfortable halt in front of a barrier, that appeared to surround nothing but scraggly trees and mud.

Twilight began to whimper, holding her hooves to her ears as if some booming voice was echoing in her skull. The voice stopped for a moment, and then every element wearer felt something cold and icy inside their minds, searching for something, tugging at their emotions, pulling out their thoughts one, by one.

The voice started again, but every element bearer heard it. It was a voice that was cold, mechanical, and most of all dry, as if it had not spoken in a thousand years.

"Hello, my friends. I want to help you, but you must help me. Simply use these spells of three."

"DISCORD" accused Rarity and Applejack together, raising their hooves to the sky.

"No no my confused children. I know that name, he tried to use my power, but I am older than he, and he is as wary of my ways as you are. Use the spells and you will discover things that ponies ought to know, if only Celestia would forgive herself for knowing of their existence"

The voice stopped, but every pony felt spells pouring into their brains, Twilight and Rarity giggled at the sensation, feeling as if they were learning at such a fast pace. Rainbow dash shook in the knees, but she tried to appear calm and collected.

Fluttershy tried to fight the magic, attempting to protect something she held dearly within her mind, but was overcome. The yellow mare curled into a whimpering ball, wishing that the feeling would go away. Applejack stared into the sky in disbelief, mouth agape. Finally Pinkie Pie just bounced around and said "its like eating a cupcake with your brain!"

The spells were done, the voice returned "To use, simply think it together one by one"

The group huddled, Rainbow dash stated "I say we do it"

The rest of the group shouted "Rainbow Dash WAAAIT!", but Rainbow Dash had already crouched down and she was shimmering with magical energy. The once invisible barrier glowed pink, lightning bolts shooting out from the inside, and finally began to fade, revealing a castle in the middle of a field paved with white marble tiles.

The castle was built in a different style than all other buildings in Equestria. Everything was lit from a blue glow that ebbed and flowed between and over the marble. The ponies gingerly stepped forward on to the marble, and the blue glow, ingrained in the stone but much alive pooled beneath their hooves.

"Welcome, Welcome to the ancient castle of the Living Stone" Said the voice. Living Stone castle was right. The blue glow ebbed and flowed around the white castle, swirling around black rocks of mysterious origin The castle consisted of graceful arches, each curving towards a peak in the center.  
>Two towers stretched into the sky, with black spirals twisting around the white stone like vines. Black rocks, darker than the night appeared above key doorways and arches in the works, each seemed to focus the blue energy through the stones and around the castle.<p>

The blue glow was everywhere in the castle and on the marble field. The glow lit every facet of the castle without shadows, but it warped and morphed in front of the ponies' eyes, causing brilliant flashes of light at one part of the castle, traveling to yet another part. The glow looked alive, almost as if it were communicating with itself through the stone.

Twilight looked down, the blue energy pooled at her hooves, and noticed that within the faint gray patterns of the marble, there were often vague resemblances to cutie marks or faces, each capturing a tiny expression, or a vague flash of personality, long ingrained into the marble itself.

The voice returned "Do you like the work? It is ancient but pristine. The stones are alive with the energy of their makers, and heal like flesh. Come, come enter my hall and find knowledge long lost"

The voice suddenly disappeared, the word "lost" echoed through the empty field ever so softly, as blue energy filled the gold doors to the castle. The doors began to glow brighter and brighter until they opened, revealing the castle hall, stretching deep within the structure.

The group nervously walked towards the gold doors, at every step the blue glow at their hooves seemed to be stronger, pulling on their essence as if long hungry for the touch of flesh. With a whoosh, the magical barrier flowed around the castle again, sealing the group inside. Rainbow Dash charged at the barrier, only to be bounced back as if she flew into a trampoline.

The castle's voice softly returned "I am truly sorry about that. I am afraid that non unicorn magic without our assistance only lasts so long. Do not worry, however you are not in danger from me or my stones" The castle sighed, sensing reluctance of the ponies, and continued

"When you need to leave me once again, I will release you, but please do not consider yourselves prisoners here. You are esteemed guests of a long dead kingdom, and will be treated most royally to our treasure and finest refreshments, that we are able to provide"

The group sheepishly walked in to the hall of the castle. The hall was tall and rather wide, bordered by arched walkways. Every face of white stone produced a glow, lighting the hall without the assistance of flames or crystals. At the end of the hall there stood another grand door, open as well, with a red throne centered between two tall black columns, which twisted around each other, forming a most unusual arch.

A blue apparition appeared in front of the ponies, which morphed into a tea set, carved entirely out of marble. A marble platter held seven Teacups and an elegant kettle. Each teacup was engraved with the group's cutie marks, and in Zecora's case the cup was engraved with her tattoo

Twilight and Rarity picked up their tea with magic, but stopped before they drank it, looking into the tea's deep blue color. Rainbow dash drank her tea in one gulp, exclaiming "Oh my gosh this tea is A-MAZ-ING" prompting the others to sip the tea, each nodding to the other in approval.

Twilight lifted her hooves from the blue glow, but whatever she touched, the blue glow was there. "You read our memories, our minds, but we know so little of you, and nothing of this castle." Retorted Twilight as she flipped through the book "What ARE you?"

The voice returned "I am so very very glad you enjoy our tea, we have wonders in this castle that you have yet to sample, but I don't want to spoil you, or leave you thinking I am trying to corrupt anypony. I guess I just... just..." "The voice within stone, so often alone, she needs a friend, for old wounds to mend."

The ponies turned around, exclaiming "Zecora!" Rainbow dash turned to the Zebra, accusing her ever so slightly "But if we cannot get out, how did you get in, and FURTHERMORE, how did you know we were here?"

Zecora sighed, "I know this Queen from long ago, she often helps the rare plants grow, she trusted me to hide her kind, until her spells could breach the mind"

The voice in the castle started "I..." but paused for a while. "I suppose one could say I am long since been made lonesome by my lack of guests." Zecora here visits often enough, but I still crave more interaction"

The castle chuckled. "long before Equestria was ruled by discord, there lived a race of ponies called The Builders. The builders were not Earth Ponies, Unicorns, or Pegasi, though you would recognize them as Earth Ponies" The castle sighed, sensing Twilight and the group's mistrust. Rarity snorted "If the builders were here, and made this castle, where are they now?"

The voice called out "I have not shown my face since times of old, but I feel it time" Zecora added "After all, ponies struggle boredom speaking to just a wall."

Applejack laughed "We were just starting to enjoy talking to your wall though!"

A blue glow began pooling towards the center of the grand hall pulling from the sources of light on the edges of the hall and the columns, until the glow bulged out of the white floor, forming the shape of a very tall pony, almost as grand in stature as Celestia, lacking wings.

The glow faded, revealing a pair of Azure eyes on the body of a jet black pony, regal in stature, however lacking in wings or a horn. She wore a white marble crown, delicately carved, holding no gems, but instead holding balls of the blue essence in the middle of small hexagons carved into the design. The Black pony had no cutie mark.

"Hello, wearers of the Elements, last to wield the great power of the rocks that breathe, speak, grow, and heal. I am the queen of the Builders, Sanguine" The ponies began to bow but Sanguine replied "Oh please, if I wanted ponies to bow to me I would not have willed myself into becoming stone for thousands of years."

Sanguine motioned for the ponies to follow her towards the throne room. "come, my friends, and I do apologize for being so intimidating. It is so very very difficult to meet new people after thousands of years speaking to yourself as a stone."

Twilight looked at her group, who all still seemed to have questions. Twilight started "Uh..", but Sanguine Cut her off. "You want to know the story of the builders, our history and our reasons behind our secrecy?" Asked Sanguine, looking at the curious but bewildered ponies. "Very well, but there is only one way the builders told stories, and it is intimidating the first time. If you trust me, follow me to the throne and I will put you IN the history itself."

The group followed Sanguine to the throne, and sat as sanguine gracefully rested upon the red pillows. "I have not sat upon this throne in so very many years."

Rainbow dash looked up at Sanguine, "So how does this storytelling work, anyways?"

Zecora laughed, "Not all ponies learn from a book, sometimes history is found better when they look. Sanguine makes a journey fast, learn all you can as the vision will not last.


	3. Chapter 2 The Past

Celestia was fast asleep, when she was woken up by an owl in her room. "Oh Owlicious, what makes you wake me up at this hour" Celestia asked. The owl replied "Hoo", motioning toward the letter. Celestia opened the letter, reading

_ Dear Princess,_

_ I have been drawn to my Element of harmony tonight, and It draws me toward some undisclosed location. I hear a language which I have never heard before, but it seems to be a language of Magic and earth. My element calls to me, I cannot resists its power, and I have no idea where it intends me to go, but I feel it is important to both follow my element's call. Even if it is something I do not understand._

_ -TS-_

The Ponies and the Zebra sat in a circle, as Sanguine closed her eyes and began chanting in the language of the builders. The blue glow grew stronger and stronger under the ponies, until it started to creep up their legs and haunches.

Rainbow dash strained against the glow, but Sanguine continued to chant, as the Ponies themselves, including Sanguine began to dissolve into the castle floor. Sanguine relaxed and breathed out, as the other ponies shivered with terror.

Sanguine, Zecora, and the shaking ponies appeared in the main hall of the white Castle as it was under construction. "Before you stretch past events and times" Zecora rhymed "you ponies are now invisible and powerless mimes."

The ponies did not quite understand, Sanguine put a hoof to her forehead. "This is the history as it occurs, though you ponies cannot be seen, heard, or felt. Witness the events, but do not fight to change, we cannot heal our past sins."

The contemporary Queen Sanguine stood by her throne, as she was relaying instructions to a slate gray pony with a chisel cutie mark. The gray pony galloped off, to carve pieces out of a large black stone, making blue sparks with strike of his hammer. A crimson stallion with light blue eyes and a closed book for a cutie mark, stood next to Sanguine, speaking to her, making an arch shaped gesture with a hoof.

Sanguine turned to The group. "The builders were the original inhabitants of Equestria. They found this valley when a young, magically inclined pony discovered the valley. The pony, was the very young Criminee, who stands by the Queen as we speak."

Criminee and Sanguine chatted for a while, the Crimson pony appearing delighted in his Queen's words. Sanguine continued "Criminee is still my most trusted advisor, and Following his advice, I decided to abandon a castle on the side of a mountain, finished in foundations only, and began constructing the castle of the builders here."

Twilight interrupted. "In my book it stated that Canterlot has many arches and stones with unusual properties within the lowest and innermost levels of the castle. Twilight pulled out her book again, flipping to a hoof-drawn sketch of an ancient arch underneath Canterlot.

Sanguine thought for a while, looking upwards to recall a memory. "It is true, young Twilight those words were once the name of our castle in our tongue. I am sure the builders will be one day pleased to know that our castle foundations are used evermore as the structure holding the Equestrian Capital city aloft.

"Sanguine, I myself have a question as a friend" Asked Zecora "Why is it that we can an ancient tongue comprehend?" Sanguine looked to the ponies, "Forgive me for what I have done, but I gave each and every one of you the ability to speak and hear the language of the builders as if it were your native tongues."

A thought popped into Zecora's mind, she did not understand where a it came from, but she spoke the words ever so softly "Only two others may yet know, their hearts, however are pure as snow..." Sanguine put a hoof over the mouth of Zecora, "Shh, you know not what you say, and the truth will rest until the ponies in question decide to speak the truth themselves."

Sanguine scanned the faces of the other six ponies, who had not heard Zecora's words. Sanguine breathed out, relieved, stating. "Zecora, there are some ponies out in the realm who asked for my protection, and received it. They will speak for themselves when the time is right"

The ponies flashed forwards a few years. The castle, now finished from marble and some of the black stones stood before them in a bright, sunny Everfree forest. Sanguine looked longingly at the structure, a hub of activity, bustling with so much life, that the blue glow seemed to be as inanimate as the stone around it.

"This is the peak glory of the builders, when our powers were balanced, and we crafted our Universal Magic from the stones in the earth itself. Anypony, connected enough to the stones we used, can use our Magic and our spells."

The ponies wandered through the castle, alive with activity, with builders conversing. They entered the library, beyond the throne room, noticing rows and rows of tablets, all being engraved by scholars.

Queen Sanguine walked in to the library from another door, asking a scholar "and what has been developed today? The scholar replied "I believe we have had a major breakthrough, we have developed a spell granting us Immortality! Imagine, with your power, and the infinite glory of our constructions, we will be able to make our lives last forever, without the fear of age!"

Queen sanguine smiled and commanded the scholars to "Stop all other developments NOW! I want every effort directed to research about these protections from age that can be!" Criminee entered the room by Sanguine's side, smiling contently. "If the protections from aging do indeed work as prescribed, the builders will be the most powerful race of ponies on the earth!"

Sanguine sighed "That was our demise. I was young and foalish, and I envisioned that I could change the greatest realities of our world without consequences. In a few short months we will see the consequences of my choice" The world changed again, and when the ponies opened their eyes, they found themselves far away, in a bleak snowy land.

A Windigo swept by the ponies, flying over the squabbling pony tribes. Sanguine pointed to three fighting pony tribes and said, you know this story, the story of Hearth's Warming Eve, but what you have never been told was the story of the Windigo. For that we must visit a different land, the Castle once more.

In a whirl, the ponies appeared in the Throne Room of the Castle again. Sanguine sat at her throne, watching a growing storm outside, as frantic builders scurried about the castle, still lit by the eerie blue glow. "MORE SPELLS, MORE SPELLS" Sanguine shouted from her throne "We must FIGHT this damned blizzard before it kills us and our works!"

Criminee approached the throne, "My queen, the storm has created more Windigos, and we need to draft as much energy from our stones to stop their progress!" Sanguine jumped off her throne and walked to the window. Leaning a hoof against the glass, she sighed. "No, Criminee, I feel that you are not right, the more we draw from the stones, the colder the winter grows."

Sanguine shed a tear, as Criminee left the throne room. A light green mare, with a wine glass cutie mark entered the throne room, carrying a steaming white mug with the blue magic. The mug filled with steaming dark coffee as the green pony walked by the others, and a touch of cream swirled into the yin-yang symbol on top of the coffee itself.

Chartreuse began, "My queen, balance comes between the light and the dark, and perfection lies in the harmonious mix between all desired angles. Greed saps the energy from even the best sources, which chills even the finest coffee into a warm and acrid sludge."

Sanguine sipped her coffee, thinking of the green pony's careful words, and turned to the window. The green pony turned, and walked by Twilight and her friends, revealing one deep red eye, and a slate gray eye, which sometimes wandered about the room.

"Stop all activities, and call an assembly in this room... NOW" Queen Sanguine whispered, and the Crimson Pony scurried off, to assemble the Builders in the throne room.

The Builders began to file in the room, as Sanguine began preparing a powerful spell. "We have drawn too much out of our stones, the consequences of which are outside. In our greed for the continuation of our lives, we have doomed everypony and every builder to die in the cold and the dark of winter. We can no longer extend our power upon this earth, we must return our essence to the stone and retire in to the rock, if the world is to continue without our magic."

The spell began to grow, until it became a glowing red ball of magnificent energy, held down by the glass dome overhead. Sanguine raised her voice to compensate for the hissing energy coming from the magic overhead.

"Our knowledge and structures will endure, ancient knowledge for them to find after us. Our finest works have been placed for speedy rediscovery within the realm, protecting all when we are gone. We have exhausted our time in history for now, and we must surrender to our world of rock, until freedom returns to us. Anypony who objects may leave the room, but may not divulge the secret of the builders."

Two ponies, one white and one black bolted out of the throne room. Other ponies turned to watch them flee and some stood up, ready to cast their magic once more. "LET THEM FREE" Queen Sanguine boomed, "We could use two of our kind to remember and reflect upon our fate." She sat on her throne for a minute, thinking, finally sending a final blessing to them, as they were now alone in the world.

Queen Sanguine shed a tear, bur regained her composure and began to chant, beginning the ritual. The red glow began to descend, surrounding every builder as the blue glow on the floor of the throne room began to ripple strongly.

Some builders began to weep, and others looked to their queen, as they began to melt into the blue glow, which grew brighter by the second. Queen Sanguine was the last to disappear, she stood, wearing her crown, watching the hungry blue swirls entwine around her legs, as she melted into the castle itself.

Outside the window, a blue flash emanated from the castle, melting the snow and ice, blowing the Windigos away, but leaving much of the Everfree forest worse for wear, the trees were scraggly, and monsters were free to roam, as the dark magic was soaked from the castle, deep within the hungry roots of the trees and the once pristine lakes now turned into swamps.

Sanguine turned to the group. "That is the story of the builders, as it is" We are forever bound to this castle, to keep the world warm and safe from our darkest discoveries, but we wanted to spread our Magic to the world, for everypony to have a tiny fraction of the good we once wielded."

The ponies nodded. Fluttershy asked "But what of the others... are they?" Sanguine answered "Dead... no, they are still in hiding, yet they are free to return to the real world if they please. Every builder is now immortal, but the builders themselves do not exist in a physical sense, unless they want to."

Twilight looked to Sanguine, thinking about the castle. "So then why did you call us here?" She asked. Sanguine looked to the seven others, somewhat confused. "I did not call you here... but now that you are here I believe that I must lend an assist to ponies who are alive now, and to builders. It seems that some builders are becoming restless, wishing to exist in the real world..."

"Here" Sanguine responded, lets get back to the world you are more comfortable in" The ponies materialized from the blue essence in the Castle throne room. Sanguine checked to make sure all seven others were around, and smiled at them. "I know there are still questions, but answers will hopefully come in the next couple of days."

The ponies nodded, looking to the stars above, as the sound of the Timber-wolves howling softly resonated in the castle. "You are of course welcome to stay the night" Sanguine stated, watching the other ponies nod in agreement.

Suddenly, the caste doors flew open. "Sanguine, I thought you were behind this!" Shouted a familiar voice."

"Princess Celestia! Princess Luna! How did you find us here?" Exclaimed Twilight sparkle, looking in disbelief at the Allicorns.

"Sanguine I cannot allow you to wreak evil on this world once more." Barked Celestia "And I cannot allow you to harm Twilight Sparkle or her friends!"

Sanguine turned to face Celestia. "Do not be rash, _Princess_, I am sure our dispute can be settled in a civil manner, without any conflicts between our two peaceful worlds. Celestia looked towards Sanguine menacingly, but the black queen continued "The wearers of the elements and Zecora arrived earlier today, and I believe this is a sign that other builders are beginning to try and influence the world again."

"I WILL DESTROY YOU" Screamed Celestia, her horn glowing with the strongest magic possible. Twilight Screamed, jumping between Celestia and Sanguine, crafting a shield out of magic, in an attempt to stop Celestia's attack.

The silver beam intended for Sanguine struck Twilight with full force. The Magical dust cleared, as Twilight skidded across the floor, limp and unresponsive. The five ponies, Zecora, and Luna rushed towards Twilight, who showed no signs of life. Celestia fainted, hitting the ground when she realized the implications of her actions.

"Twi... Twilight?" Asked Fluttershy, poking Twilight with her hoof. A blue flash emanated from the pony's horn, and then she faded into the floor, creating a purple spot in the marble which quickly faded into the blue glow. Her Saddlebags and the element of harmony seemed suspended in the air, but they found the pull of gravity, and fell on the cold marble, coming to rest again. 


	4. Chapter 3 Tea and Wine

Sanguine turned to Celestia and Luna, both shaking with terror, reflecting on the great loss that enveloped before their eyes. The queen turned to the castle, watching the blue glow, listening to the deathly silence in the halls, almost as if she heard something from the stone itself.

She answered "Our walls may boom with voices when we have will for our voices to be heard, but sometimes, if you listen carefully enough the walls will speak for themselves." Zecora closed her eyes , releasing a tear, and then answering the call of the stone in her own way. "Twilight is alive, safe, and sound. She will be more lost when she is found."

Celestia stared at the spot where Twilight sparkle just stood. She began to stammer, attempting an apology "Sanguine, am so, so..."

Sanguine interrupted "Not here, not now, Celestia. We must chat in private, away from the ears of the innocent, and the rightfully angered. Our display of anger has caused great strife amongst the other element bearers, and I SUGGEST that we hold this matter private, for now, for everypony's sake" Celestia nodded in agreement, lost for words.

"Wait ONE minute, Celestia!" Exclaimed Rainbow dash, dusting herself off. "You JUST killed Twilight Sparkle, and we are just supposed to let you get away with that?"

Celestia backed up in horror at the words, and Luna slowly shook her head. Applejack, after collecting herself piped up "I care for Twi very deeply, and while I have SOME respect for my princesses, I think I am due an HONEST explanation right NOW"

Applejack stamped her hoof at the tile, causing a crack to form in the white marble, which moaned before sealing itself with the blue glow. Sanguine sat on the floor, hitting her forehead with a hoof "Oh sweet harmony everlasting, NO" The black pony exclaimed, but nopony noticed.

The signs of a quarrel began to grow, with Celestia and Luna at once side, facing the five remaining bearers of the elements on the other side. Zecora stood away from both groups of ponies. In an attempt to avoid conflict, Zecora chimed in "Ponies please, the way you argue will your friendship freeze." Zecora gave up, walking slowly up to Sanguine, putting a hoof on the queen's shoulder.

The argument continued, relentless, and the ponies hardly noticed as a red stripe danced between the marble tiles of the hall, before flinging its way down the hall. The argument was so engaging, that the ponies also ignored the form of another pony rising from the blue glow, almost as if being lifted from an abyss behind them. The pony was a mare in form, and turned a bright green with a full wine glass for a cutie mark.

"ENOUGH!" screamed the green pony, watching the argument suddenly halt. Rainbow Dash held her mouth open, with one hoof pointed in the air towards Celestia. Celestia stood her ground but was glaring at Applejack with the most powerful disdain. Luna and Rarity were locked in a staring contest, which broke as they turned their eyes toward the new pony. The yellow ball over to the side of the other ponies slowly stopped quivering, as Fluttershy came out of her shell.

"Oh, Chartreuse!" Sanguine exclaimed. "It has been a long time since you have last appeared in the flesh!" Chartreuse looked at the group, noting the pandemonium about the room. "My queen, you would not be right on that, but for my purposes here you could say that and be mostly correct. However I feel more inclined to tend to our guests, all of whom are in need of relaxation."

The green pony smiled warmly, using her gray and red eyes together to look at each pony in the bunch. "I will return instantaneously with everypony's favorite refreshment." She said, melting into the floor.

Zecora looked at the spot in the floor where Chartreuse just stood. "The voice she uses I remember now, I spoke to her before, but how..." Sanguine looked to the confused Zebra, and the even more bewildered Ponies

Sanguine smiled at Chartreuse, as the green mare began to calm down. "In times of peace, and times of great strife, I have always sourced much comfort from Chartreuse, however..." Applejack chimed in "However, that pony gives me a solid case of the heebie-jeebies", shaking to accentuate the last two words.

Sanguine sighed "Chartreuse can be somewhat hard to understand, and her jokes will often fall flat on their faces, but she is most plagued by the effects of her gifts. In time, you will understand that she is good at heart, and is ever so thoughtful."

Chartreuse re appeared, with a single wine bottle and eight wine glasses. She passed a glass to each pony, and began to dispense the drinks. Chartreuse often embellished words in her own special way, her tongue trickling over quaint and ancient accentuations of language.

The green pony smiled, almost maliciously, singing "The secret to serve, is not to mix, hence a _solitary_ bottle carries all" The Green pony recited, As the floating wine bottle danced up to each glass, dispensing drinks, every pour of a different color

"For the blue, I have a fruity mix, sweet but with _Up-Lifting_ qualities, from a berry long extinct"

"for the yellow, a relaxing, _soothing_ mix, with a little extract from a beloved tree"

"for the white, a harmonious melody, _elegant_ and timeless, with beauty held within"

"for the orange, a _ simple_ but proud drink, which speaks volumes about the labor in its creation."

"for the pink, a cheerful and exotic mix, with just a little _sparkle,_ which makes a true smile grow"

"For the white princess, a recipe long forgotten, from more simple and civilized ages"

"for the Zebra, a powerful healing drink, wonderful in flavor and _healing _in effect."

"for the dark blue princess, a light, airy drink, _effervescent _and kind, only if one opens to its charms"

"and for the black, a melodic mix, which only reveals its_ musical_ flavor to the understanding"

The ponies stared curiously at their drinks, all poured from the same bottle, but each with its own flavor, color, and personality. They looked to each other, no words needing said about Chartreuse's choices.

Chartreuse looked at the ponies, each enjoying their drinks, and sighed. "Sanguine, please do tell the curious why I do what I do and how it came to be"

Sanguine looked to the other ponies, as Chartreuse listened as well. She began "Chartreuse always has had her eyes as they are. Her crimson eye sees the world in its colors, and her gray eye sees energies. She was the daughter of the pony that found the black stones, who also was blessed with a sight into the energies of the castle."

Sanguine looked up, and left, searching for old memories, rusty with time. "Chartreuse is thoughtful and caring, she is willing to assist anypony with good intentions, and is sometimes too willing to help. Her intuitions into the needs of anypony are stronger than any other, which is why she asked to be the butler, and she also can add surprise into any situation."

Zecora chimed in "A good soul who works for all you ask, but who hides much behind her mask." Sanguine yawned "Chartreuse, do lead these ponies to their accommodations that you see fitting of them, but do send Celestia to my chamber after you show her to her room as a guest."

Luna looked at Celestia, confused and jealous, but a reassuring glance from her older sister caused Luna to relax, remembering all the times her trust in Celestia was well founded. Chartreuse led the group to a hallway on the second floor of the castle, containing gold doors spaced far apart, each with a name plate above, which were marked with the names of each pony.

"Celestia, regal royalty, you are much too concerned with an action of your _past_. Relaxation and mediation bring more answers than paced fury and anguish."

The door swung open to reveal a fountain in the center of the room, the walls were white marble with faint gold patterns of the sun, miniature replicas of the sun inlaid in gold on the high ceiling. A thick rug ran from the fountain, under a carved white marble bed with magenta comforters, the same color as her eyes. A quill and a scroll sat on top of a large throw pillow set before the fountain. On the far side of the room, the wall was a large window, the central portion was a fine stained glass piece depicting Celestia raising the sun. On the opposite wall, a fireplace emitted a pink flame.

Celestia looked around the room, thinking. Chartreuse laughed, remembering how long it has been since Celestia was last in the castle "Oh the lights." The green pony began "Our castle senses us, far more than we realize. The light will fade by its own accord, to the brightness you desire."

Celestia nodded, saying "thank you", before she turned and began walking down the hallway. "Celestia, before you go, there is something you must know" Zecora added rhythmically "Many will awake to a world with change unclear, explain these disappearances before someponies are filled with fear" Celestia exclaimed "Gotcha! Thanks, Zecora." before scurrying off, conjuring a quill and parchment before her.

The room labeled "Princess Luna" was next,

"Luna, a princess who knows a feeling the builders share, could use some _nights_ to collect herself."

The marble walls became deep deep blue, the blue of night, with stars, exactly as they are, painted on the ceiling.

A fireplace making a gently pulsing blue flame warmed a black canopy bed, with two matching nightstands. Both nightstands held up glass vases, holding two black roses each, which seemed to thrive under the starry sky. A writing table sat in front of the glass window, bordered by a stained glass relief of the various moon phases. Luna smiled, relaxed, and allowed her gold door to gently close, as she whispered "Goodnight, friends"

Chartreuse and the ponies bowed their heads and walked silently by the empty room next to Luna's room which was labeled "Twilight Sparkle" No words were said.

Leading to the next door, Chartreuse gave the door a gentle push of blue energy. "Dash, the brave and skilled, must find that even _warriors_ sleep more soundly in peaceful times" Remarked the green mare, revealing a room, sky blue, with innocent fluffy clouds bordering the bottom of the walls.

Rainbow colored flames which matched Dash's tail flickered brightly in the fireplace. The mantle was a rainbow, arching gracefully over the fire, before which sat Tank the Tortoise. "Ohmygosh! Tank! you shouldn't have!" exclaimed the exited pony. On the other side of the room, the stained glass window depicted a sonic rainboom, bright and cheerful. The bed was crafted of clouds, constrained by a sharply angled rainbow band. "THIS IS AWESOME!" Squeaked rainbow dash "Goodnight everypony!"

"Fluttershy, the natural and pure, must relax away from her _fears, _finding comfort in the forest"

The green room was more alive than any other part of the castle itself, the energy focused into a central display in Fluttershy's room, a miniature oak tree, surrounded by life and tiny flowers, all waving in a gentle but invisible breeze.

A very large, flat pillow leaned against the tree, inviting a pony to sit in its shade and relax. The fireplace swooshed softly, framed with green marble, as cyan flames whispered from within a pile of gray stones. Four living maple trees, fully grown in appearance but miniature in size made a canopy bed, with the thick covering of leaves arching completely over the sheets below.

Fluttershy smiled, and whispered "Thank you kindly, and goodnight all, sleep tight", as she sat under the tree, slipping into complete relaxation, the door closing softly, after which she noticed her bunny angel hop from behind the tree, the two snuggling together under the cozy little tree.

"Pinkie Pie, finds joy in celebration, but will enjoy _herself _more after some peaceful rest."

Pinkie's room was very light pink, subtle almost. There were no balloons, but in the center of the room there bounced a very special crocodile. "GUMMY! Is that really you?" Pinkie pie remarked, as the bouncy alligator nipped her tail. "Gummy! it is you!" she exclaimed, smiling genuinely at the surprise, which warmed her heart far more than decorations and all else could.

The room had a stained glass border with every kind of cupcake imaginable, and the light blue bed looked warm and inviting. The room was heated by a magenta fire, which did occasionally release what appeared to be a balloon shaped puff of smoke. "I cant believe you guys brought gummy! I am so happy I could just... just... sleep" Pinkie Pie sat on top of the covers, and fell fast asleep.

"Rarity, generous in her ways, will discover the _best_ in beauty through her elegance."

The room was furnished entirely out of glass, often clear, but sometimes colored blue. The fireplace, bordered in blue, held steady white flames, coming from logs of clear glass.

Across from the fire, stretched an ornate stained glass window of a pink carousel. The bed was made entirely of clear glass, with warm, fuzzy covers, on top of which Opalescence slept, curled into a ball. Graceful curves and arches formed the structure of the furniture, which was not ornate, but was the most stylish furniture Rarity had ever seen. Over in a corner of the room, the staples of Rarity's existence sat ready for her touch, pony mannequins, a sewing table, and lots of paper for her designs. "Oh thank you kindly Chartreuse, my room is everything I ever DREAMED!"

"One of honesty, her word so pure, may yet find her rightful _home_ in more humble accommodations" Chartreuse remarked, concentrating harder than she had before, applying the workings of time to the blue forms growing out of the stone. The furniture that appeared out of the stone was simple, antique, and sturdy.

The furniture appeared to be well used, not scratched or chipped, but the passage of time was evident against the wood. Table legs and other posts were made from round branches, holding on to their bark. A fireplace glowed in one side of the room, burning wood, casting naturally flickering yellow light on to her little dog Winowna, curled up comfortable and cozy, in front of the fire.

The stained glass window was the only grand embellishment of the room, an apple orchard, stretching far into the horizon. Applejack smiled "It is everything I would ever need, thank you!"

The last room in the hall was labeled for Zecora. Zecora opened the door herself, remarking "This room you made for me before, makes neither work or sleep a chore!" Chartreuse smiled, and melted into the blue glow of the floor, as Zecora acquainted herself with the familiar decorations. Her stained glass window was a sunset highlighting the clouds above a pink hue.

The fireplace burned an unusual wood, causing bright orange flames to dance, occasionally casting a pink flame amongst them. The furniture was simple by design, but retained a warm and comfortable atmosphere. The wood was darkly stained, though still brown, and the cushions and blankets were a dull red. Zecora jumped into the bed, and grabbed a book from the bookshelf, immersing herself in the story, before she began to drift to sleep.

Celestia wondered how many steps she had climbed to reach a gold door at the top of the tower. She thought that she had ascended a great many steps, but was relieved, when the gold door opened, revealing the jet black pony. "Come in, come in, we need to chat." A silent but bright red fire cast an eerie glow, which reflected on the shiny surfaces of the room.

A large clear window looked to the sky above, the glass itself sporting beauty in its imperfect nature, as bubbles and milky swirls were frozen in time throughout the glass. The furniture was crafted of black lacquered wood with smooth curves and no ornamental accentuations, and the cushions on the couch and chairs were crimson. The walls were light purple marble, with light silver whips running through the stone itself, a pattern which continued on the cherry red floor.

At the center of the room there was a round purple rug with giant red pillows on top. Sanguine sat down, patting a pillow opposite her part of the rug, and the white princess sat down with her.

Sanguine and Celestia turned as the form of Chartreuse grew from the floor in front of them. Bowing, the green pony shed a tear from her red eye. "I know more than what I must say, to you and others"

Chartreuse winced. "But of course, your tea, my Queen, your tea! How could I have ever forgotten to bring my queen the tea?" Sanguine shook her head. "Wait, Chartreuse, before you bring the tea, I believe Celestia wanted to know more about you."

Chartreuse shook, just a little bit. "About me?" The green pony stammered "Oh I do not have very much to say for myself, I run the wine cellar, and I bring ponies tea"

Sanguine put her hoof to her forehead, exclaiming "Oh, come ON Chartreuse, we know that you are more than what you try to appear!" Chartreuse sat down with the two ponies, and began to prepare her story. "When I was young, I found the blue, and the blue found me.

The blue pulled me into the womb of the stones so black, and I was free ever-after to come and go through the stone. When the others took their path with my Queen, joining me in my once empty stones, I could only stand to stay so long."

Chartreuse sighed, her cryptic message was not going as planned she stopped, and reorganized her thoughts. "I was always known as a pony with unusual gifts surrounding the energy of the builders, Just as my parents were... I could always join and leave the energy, and I have used it ever since to travel from place to place."

Chartreuse's eyes began to water. "When I learned the secrets of the connection between ponies in the castle and the blue, I learned how to pick up what the ponies felt, and I listen in when they find themselves in need, but I also learn too many secrets to bear." The two ponies nodded, listening intently to her story. "_She is hiding something"_ thought Celestia, as the green mare paused.

Chartreuse drifted over to the window, looking to the stars above. "I used to find comfort within the stones, but ever since the builders joined me in my space, I found myself more at home in the empty castle itself, but I lacked the joy I once obtained by entertaining guests, and so, my only remaining fear is that things will not stay as they are right now."

Sanguine and Celestia looked at each other, reflecting on the saddened spirit of the once uplifting Chartreuse, but before they could say a word, Chartreuse disappeared into the stone, leaving a tea pot and two tea cups, the teapot's sigh slowly morphing into the whistle of steam.

Celestia lifted the tea pot with her magic, pouring out her cup of tea, then Sanguine's cup. The tea almost appeared to be a different color for each pony, but Celestia did not give it much thought, not even noticing Sanguine chuckling at the little gag that Chartreuse last pulled on her so very many years ago. "Chamomile tea, calming and relaxing" Sanguine smiled "How does that pony always get it right?"

Celestia looked at Sanguine quizzically "This is Peppermint tea, bold and strong, right for me, but.." Sanguine laughed "No, this Chamomile tea, taste it" Celestia becoming flustered "My tea is NOT Chamomile, it is Peppermint!" Sanguine laughed and laughed, barely able to open the tea pot, revealing the two tea colors in the pot, divided by an invisible line, one side facing Celestia, the other side facing Sanguine. "She does that" laughed Sanguine... "It gets me every time"

The two ponies sat across from each other, Celestia thinking about what she needed to say, but almost unable to say it out loud. Sanguine started "Celestia, Chartreuse makes good tea for conversation, and even more excellent points about what needs to be conversed" Celestia tried to look like she did not understand, but Sanguine retorted "You know very well, that this is a matter concerning you and your actions..."


	5. Chapter 4 Poison

**Twilight's POV**

I opened my eyes, looking around at white space around me. I was standing on solid feeling ground, but the ground and sky were the same color, a texture-less and cool white color. I looked around, there were structures on the horizon, but I dared not leave my position for fear of getting lost. I wondered if I were alive or dead, but I thought that It did not much matter.

I was not warm, or cold, I was simply comfortable in my surroundings. I realized that there was no feeling of air inside my nostrils when I breathed, and I felt no air on my skin when I tried to blow on my leg. I panicked, thinking that I would choke in this apparent vacuum, but I soon realized that both breathing and panicking were futile.

I heard a loud THUMP behind me, and I spun quickly around out of fear. I did not see anything, until I diverted my eyes downward, finding a black leather book with "TWILIGHT-SPARKLE" written on the cover in gold leaf.

The book was similar in style to some of the oldest books in Celestia's libraries, but it was crisp and new, and its parchment pages were white and unstained.I opened the book, noticing that the letters were all Hoof-Written. The delicate Calligraphy flowed over the pages, and I began to read, the book, unaware of time's passage.

_Welcome, Twilight Sparkle, to our realm of light. This book is a complete introduction to the customs and culture of the builders who live here, for use at the duration of your visit. You are currently not dead, though you do not physically exist in the outside world, save for a single pebble in a storage shelf in the Catacombs._

_ Do not worry, you will be free to travel back to the outside world when ready, for you this process will simply take a number of days. We understand you enjoy reading, and so this book will provide some solace in the world you are currently confined. Builders here are friendly, though a little bit out of time for you. We are confident you will be comfortable in these surroundings._

_ For future quick reference, enjoy this simple list of the most fundamental components of this realm._

_You are still ALIVE._

_The outsiders understand of your state, but not of your exact locale._

_There is no air, you can stop breathing now, if you did not already do so_

_There is a model of your house available in the visible town on the horizon_

_Most builders live in a castle next to the town, you may choose to stay there as well._

_No wish will be left unfulfilled, but we rather you ASK for things, rather than using your magic (Unicorn Magic scares builders somewhat)_

_You may leave and return AT WILL from this domain, when you learn the process to do so._

_Guards are approachable, if any problem of security will arise (unlikely)_

_There are no directions, walk away from the town and you will find yourself in it._

_You do not NEED to eat or sleep, but may be more comfortable doing so._

_Note: Builder magic envelops all, you may notice clairvoyance and some odd coincidences within the realm. This is normal and expected._

I decided to test the direction theory, placing the black tome in my saddlebag, walking away from the town for a while. Soon I realized that I was walking toward a town on the horizon, which grew and grew in size. I wandered through the town, consisting of buildings all in different styles, noticing ponies speaking to each other in their own language.

The builders noted my presence, but were more curious in their glances at me than unfriendly. I realized that I was not going to find my house independently, and so I stopped at a jewelry shop to ask for directions.

I opened the door, finding a very clean shop with very elegant looking Jewelry and also delicate watches on display. A yellow stallion, taller and older than me stepped out from the back room. The yellow pony smiled at me curiously, and I him.

I understood what the book meant about differences as I noticed that I was still breathing while the yellow stallion was not. He took off his square glasses, warmly stating "Hello, you are welcome in my store, and in our dimension as well. I am the watchmaker Mainspring, and I presume you are Twilight Sparkles are you not?"

"Twilight Sparkle" I corrected him, as he nodded. "I just wanted to know where my house was, it looks like a tree but It is a Library"

"Ah!" Mainspring exclaimed "It is not far from here, go out of my store and turn left, go three blocks and turn right on 11th Street, your house will be along the garden district there.

I smiled, "Thank you very much," and turned to leave, but stopped when I noticed the most beautiful gem sitting on a shelf inside the Jewelry store counter. I stared at the gem for a while, noticing its was glowing blue ever so softly. I asked the watchmaker "Do you think a baby dragon would enjoy that gem as a snack?"

Mainspring chuckled, shaking his head to indicate that he had no idea. "The gems are the work of my partner, Diamond Blaze. She understands some about dragons, but she is unfortunately out for the day for... medical reasons. I am sorry I cannot be of assistance"

"When will She return?" I asked, wondering if I could actually keep the gem in the real world anyways.

The stallion thought for a minute, stating "Diamond should be here tomorrow after lunchtime, come in then!" I smiled back, and we parted ways, as I headed off towards the garden district.

Mainspring's directions were exactly correct, strangely for a building that did not exist hours before, but rule 11 seemed to begin solidifying in my head. I opened the door to my house, finding it exactly as it were, except for the absence of Spike and Owlicious.

I heard a knock on my door. "Already?" I exclaimed, turning around and opening the door. A crimson stallion stood before me. "Sorry for the intrusion, Ms. Sparkle, I am pleased to meet you for the first time, which I hope is a s much a pleasure to you as it is already to me."

"Hey! I exclaimed, "I think I know you..." The Crimson pony interrupted me by clearing his throat loudly. He pulled a book from the shelf labeled "Espionage during Discord's Reign", shaking the spine to reveal a tiny magical insect. The insect fled, scurrying into a crack in the floorboards.

The crimson stallion handed me a note, penned in red ink.

_ Twilight, you are not safe here, please trust me, Criminee, and follow these instructions. The bugs in your apartment will listen to all that is said, so please follow my following charade. After I leave, wait around in this room until you are finished with the tea which is just about ready. _

_ Afterwards, make your way to the City Center, finding my townhouse, #55. The door is unlocked, but the house is secure, it is watched by my personal ally on the guard force, Windmere._

_ I will arrive there soon, though not before you arrive. Windmere is aware of your presence here as an esteemed guest, and will provide you with anything you may need. Continue the Charade, refer to me as Mainspring._

Criminee began to speak, opening the door "Twilight, I am pleased to become acquainted in your presence as a guest in our realm, and I wish you a pleasant stay!"

Twilight answered, "Thank you, Mainspring, I am happy to be here with you"

Criminee smiled, opening her door slowly "For now, Twilight, I bid you adieu', and hope to see you in my wonderful store if you would like any more fine watches and gems."

Criminee closed the door behind him, walking to the sidewalk, disappearing beyond a corner.

**Chartreuse's POV**

"Dawn is almost upon me" I lamented, "But I think there might be one more unsettled soul around"

My hooves rarely tire, as I zip into the fields of white space, feeling the walls of the castle, as I swing closer and closer to the unsettled mind of another pony, pacing her room."

This feeling, from Luna herself, was a feeling I shared with her, doubt, mistrust, and most of all apprehensions for the paths all were taking.

Celestia's hooves clacked on the marble as she came to her own room to sleep, Luna listened intently to the sounds the tired White princess made, burdened heavily by grief. Luna's soul still stirred, confused and angry, out of fear perhaps, but angry nonetheless.

I willed myself to join the realm of the physical world once more, feeling the cold grasp of air and the weight of my flesh resting on my hooves. Luna spun around, surprised, as many ponies do upon my sudden appearances.

"A storm approaches, in the mind, from memories long ignored but never forgotten." I knew that for the sake of the Princesses' health and to quell the turmoil between the others, that Luna and Celestia must support each other through trust.

"Chartreuse, how do you always know when somepony needs you most?" asked Luna, sighing with her tired soul.

"Luna, you understand more than you wish to, but hide from a good decision you have not yet forgiven yourself from making. Celestia and Sanguine will tell you what you need to know at the right time..." I made a faint but warm smile, and I began to craft a black mug, which formed in front of Luna, suspended in my magic.

I passed the mug over to Luna, as the princess used her own magic to raise it to her level, as she looked into the drink. I looked inside the princess, if only for a second, reaching towards the cause of her sadness. In a flash, I found the feelings inside her that needed cooled, calmed, and relaxed.

Using energies stored within the stones, I crafted a square silver teapot, which made small puffs of steam, each puff bringing the growing scent of chocolate into the room.

I began, "A hot chocolate will serve the heart, mind, and soul if savored in time and never rushed. Tue words will do the same to you. Sip carefully, rest peacefully, and awaken refreshed."

Luna smiled back at me, sipping her hot chocolate, but her apprehensions still pulsed through her veins, chilling the stones beneath her.

I looked to Luna, as she sipped her hot chocolate, in an attempt to calm the turmoil of her mind, I gave her these kind words. "Celestia and Sanguine share a bond with you, bonds which cannot be broken even by eons and misdeeds of the world. Sanguine and Celestia need your help, more than anypony, to heal an ancient wound against you. Rest now, Luna, and the morning will be ever brighter."

I traveled back into my world, but I felt somepony near me, following at a distance within my realm of non-existence The feeling was all too familiar, surges of energy from the castle were sucked towards a darkened spot of the white aura surrounding me, there was a hatred entwined with the chilling ripples of energy swirling about. The cold drew closer to me, he had exploded in his powers and madness, and I knew that I had no chance unless I made myself whole again.

The wine cellar, close enough to my room indeed, I chose to make myself whole in. "Hello, sister" Answered a precise and cold voice. I did not turn around to look at the Crimson pony behind me. "Criminee, we came to terms, leave me to my peace."

The crimson pony chuckled. "Fine, 'ruse, you were always the melodramatic_ one, _so stressed over situations and so very self-destructive indeed", He strained against his own hatred of me, knowing that his strengths with the mind were subdued when ponies were in the flesh.

I turned around, noticing that nopony was in the cellar I stepped beyond into the castle catacombs, making my way through the rows of arches, all glowing from a bright blue light.

The catacombs were my place in the castle, used not for purposes of burial. Here I stored my wines and my past. Library shelves and filing cabinets formed rows in parts of the Catacombs, orderly in parts, and in other parts in disarray from frantic searches for information I need to destroy.

I passed the hall of entombed souls, similar to a set of graves, but each bearer of the souls was alive, with the others, as an apparition within the magic of the castle itself. I looked to the stones, white marble, each with an engraved cutie mark. Our magic crafts the stones, and their jars, arranged by alphabetical order.

"Sparkle, Sparkle..." I muttered to myself as I searched the stacks, finding a dust-free jar. The jar was in its rightful place, alphabetically, between Silver Strands and Sweebation. The stone was white, but It did not exactly seem as light and pure as it ought to have been...

The thought came to me like a flash, Criminee, powerful in the mind and the void, he has had so many years in his domain, as I wandered in the castle alone. He is all around me, he is... with...

"TWILIGHT" I screamed, listening to the echoes rattling down the empty catacombs, through the arches, falling silent once more.

I scanned the jars, looking into the stones themselves, many were white, but some were fading to gray. I found the rightful spot for "Criminee", but the jar was stolen, no doubt to hide the fact that the stone was blackened, but a sliver of purest white marble slashed through the blackness evermore.

At the other side of the Catacombs, a stone stairwell twisted up a tower of the castle Gatehouse. I trotted up the steps, looking out a small window which faced the main hallway. "Silly Sanguine" she laughed "If only she knew that I was the one who changed her blueprints!"

I found my room at last, warm with a magical fire, finished with dark wood furniture. Dust puffed out of the red cushions of a well aged psychoanalytic couch, when I collapsed on its surface, exhausted. Colorful swirls developed on the walls, through which angry energy flowed

I focused intently on the agitated swirls of color, before I snagged a small cobalt blue medicine bottle. I looked in the bottle, almost empty, recoiling at the very thought of the white pills themselves. After I forced myself to pour two white pills into my hoof, I shoved them into my mouth, swallowing quickly.

The pills churned in my stomach, and I rolled on to my side in discomfort. I could feel my gray eye weakening as the colorful visions eased and left me to my peace. "Relax, Chartreuse, it was a vision, nothing more." The angry energy dissipated back into the crackling green flame in the fireplace.

I thought of moving to her comfortable bed, but did not summon the energy to leave her couch, and I finally succumbed to the graces of sleep.

"Open your eyes, Chartreuse" Said the empty voice of Criminee "you are in my world of dreams now!" An empty white field stretched before me, with no difference in color between ground and sky. Off in the distance there were two colored ponies, one was a Purple mare, small for a builder, and the other, a Crimson stallion of average size.

I ran as fast as her legs could carry her towards the ponies, with suspicions as to the identity of the red pony. Before I could arrive, a black, hateful cloud slowly formed in front of Criminee. I screamed at the purple pony, but before she could hear me, the black cloud enveloped her, staining her coat and dissolving her cutie mark entirely.

I woke up screaming for the purple pony, and out of my fears. I jumped off the couch, pacing frantically from one side of the room to the other. The green flames still crackled away, as I argued with myself about the contents of my blue bottle.

"Two is ENOUGH" she shouted "But three will end the nightmares" I retorted snobbishly. "The nightmares may even speak truths undiscovered" she remarked thoughtfully "but to what end, they must never know or else they will put me in CHAINS" I lamented, before screaming "NO CHAINS, NO CHAINS", and swallowing another white pill. I began to feel dizzy and nauseous, as I sauntered towards my bed.

The visions persisted, the colors around me grew more and more vivid, and the other effects of my pills were magnified greatly. My sickness began to eat away at my stomach, and I could feel the throbbing beats of my stressed heart inside my head and eyes especially.

I turned to the fire, staring blankly at its wonderful glow, turning around suddenly when I heard the soft tap of a hoof on the floor of my room.

"LIAR" I screamed, staring at they glowing red eyes of a pony floating above me. The pony was cloaked in rags, with no exposed fur and no visible face, masked by the shadow of a worn black hood.

The pony conjured up a scythe, gleaming in the light, shimmering and glowing ever brighter as it swung towards my thin neck. Bright blue waves and swirls of light crossed my vision as the blade cleanly parted the flesh and bone of my neck.

The world turned upside down, as vibrant rainbow dances of color flashed across the ceiling and walls, followed by the pitter-patter of crimson dew landing on clean white tiles, forming blobs and pools so red and alive, that even lively stones turned pale and cold by comparison.

I opened my eyes, in a room beneath my room, clean, though dances of color still encircled my feet, and the walls rippled vibrantly, like an agitated ocean after a storm. The mystery pony was nopony I had seen before, but I had no recollection of how I could possibly have ended up in the dungeons by myself.

The cell I was in was not locked, and if It were, my teleportation posed no issue towards my escape, but by the exit there lay a fragment of a mirror. I turned my head, trying to avoid the stare of my own eyes, but something about that fragment forced me to divert the attention of my colored eye towards the shard.

"G-ALUN-1125"

I recognized it immediately, it was a drawer in the catacombs, one I remember being empty.

I raced to the drawers, finding ALUN-G, and drawer 1125, inside of which was a chess board and a rusty tin with alabaster and marble pieces. A single sheet of paper fell off the underside of the lid.

The paper floated to the floor of the catacombs, landing face up, but turned away from me. I pushed the paper around with my hoof, vaguely recognizing the handwriting on the paper, though I had not seen it in 1000 years or more.

Turning the paper to my perspective, I saw the arcane script and immediately recognized the author behind it. My stomach could no longer hold its already churning contents, and I began to feel the last of my strength slipping with my lost resolve. My vision faded sharply to black, as I felt my frail body colliding harshly with the cold marble tiles.

I do not know how much time passed, but I could here the return of a pony off in the distance. I could sense a soul-sucking coldness approaching me, and I could feel the pain inflicted on the pure blue energy as the pony approached.

Criminee... He was standing above me now, and I had to fight the urge to move, trying to appear unconscious. He seemed not to notice that I was watching him out of one of my eyes. I watched him looking with admiration at my disgusting state. He was smiling, as he grabbed the blue pill bottle next to my feet, leaving another blue bottle behind. I finally understood, the bastard, the heartless bastard, he poisoned me with those goddamn pills, stealing the originals.

He walked into the shelves, heading towards stack G-ALUN. I closed my eyes, and began to summon my strength to fight him, pulling myself off the floor. "ALRIGHT, CRIMINEE!" I Screamed, jumping into the row where he walked into, but he was already gone.

The sharp tang, as a needle pierced my thigh. Laughter filled the room as my thoughts faded into a blissful stupor, and my knees buckled, lowering me to the cold marble floor.

**Luna's POV**

The hot chocolate was beginning to take effect on me, I could feel the gentle tug of sleep wrapping itself around me, as I slowly and deliberately walked to my bed. Just before I made it to the bed, I heard light hoof-prints in the wall, which stopped in front of my door.

A Stallion's voice filtered through the door, muffled slightly, but still very clear. The voice spoke, similar in tone to a pony I once knew but cannot name.

"Luna, Luna, you do not want to return to the moon, do you?" The voice asked.

I responded "No, most certainly not, but why do you ask?"

The voice laughed "Because the moon is where you are headed, and you have only one way to save yourself from the Mare that will do it, and believe me, she will do it, for it is neither beyond her means nor beyond her shrinking moral boundaries as they are."

I whimpered "But Celestia _promised_ that I would be ever protected from that, so long as I never became Nightmare Moon." I realized that I was screaming at the top of my lungs "IF CELESTIA DOES THAT I WILL..."

The voice laughed harder than ever before. "No, no sweet Princess Luna, Celestia is your sister, and a strong ally at that, for that reason I implore you to stick by each other, for you are both in danger, from the others."

"The... The others?" I stammered, trying not to hear what I believed the voice was implying.

The voice replied "There are six others, one ran away to gather her strength, and I must say, they are crafty little ponies."

I was confused, but the Stallion was firm in his convictions. I asked "But why would the wearers of the elements go against us, for all that we have done? Is Sanguine behind this?"

The Stallion clicked his heels from outside the room, almost joyfully. "No, the wearers of the Elements are against both Sanguine, and you Princesses. Sanguine has her OWN agenda, which I would watch for as well." He continued. "The seven others are going to overthrow the rule of the Regal ponies, ushering in a new era of control with ponies from each Tribe ruling again."

Things began to clarify in my head, but questions rose and bubbled to the surface. I asked the Stallion "But why here, why now?"

The stallion laughed, stating proudly. "Because this is the time of the Waxing power of the elements, and Twilight knows it, however they came to realize the truth is beyond me, but I must clarify that the elements never _Pulled_the ponies here."

I stood silent in disbelief, such deception and suspicions from all sides was overwhelming me.

"I must go" Said the voice "I am very sorry, I must avoid drawing suspicions to myself."

I pleaded the stallion to stay "But I have more questions, and I need more answers tonight."

"No, you are protected tonight and tomorrow, since Twilight has not yet returned, and the others are still solidifying their plans as of yet, you are safe, do be careful though." Stated the Crimson pony.

"Thank you very much!" I exclaimed, as the sound of hooves lightly clacking on marble retreated down the hallway.

**Celestia's POV**

"Sanguine knows more than she lets on, I do believe" I thought "But then, I shouldn't call her that, she is more then just a name to me she is... is..."

"Arcane?" Asked a cold, calculating voice, which echoed down the empty hallway. The voice was familiar, old in accent but youthful in tone. "Celestia, Celestia, listen to your heart this once" Chortled the voice, which seemed to be coming from a hallway ahead of me and to the left.

"Celestia, Sanguine wants more than she says she does, Sanguine seeks to regain the _power _she used to have"

Initially I disagreed with the voice, arguing with it, responding "Sanguine would never take my rule from me, she is too kind and too giving to do that to me."

The voiced laughed at me. "Oh so Naive you are, Celestia. Or should I call you _Princess_ Celestia..."

I began to realize exactly who the voice was, it was that of Sanguine's assistant Criminee. Criminee continued, his words becoming more and more powerful with every phrase "Remember, you are in the house of a _Queen, _a very powerful queen, who will take back what is still rightfully hers, regardless of cost."

I wanted to disagree, but the pony seemed so convincing. I stammered "But Sanguine is my..."  
>The voice interrupted "Do not give me that line, Sanguine is your queen, and she is not just revealing her castle at your weakest point during the year for a reason."<p>

I was mortified with shock, not even Luna understood how the planetary arrangements affected my powers. I replied "This is NOT happening, you can't be implying..."

The voice responded "That this is a _trap?_ Oh Celestia, this is more than a mere trap, it is a diabolical coup d'etat against your inherited rule. Sanguine may be out of sync with the events of late, but she is still a crafty one, waiting to _Strike_"

My anger boiled, I screamed down the hallway "NO! I cannot believe that Sanguine could, or would!" The voice laughed again, at me "Oh but she _did_, and you simply did not see that Sanguine destroyed Twilight just to weaken you. Sanguine does not always tell the truth either, and the purple mare may never return, yet you must realize that to the Queen, a mere purple pony is worth killing for a scheme as grand as this."

The voice began to fade in its last sentence, I bolted down the hallway, but nopony seemed to be around the corner. I shook from the realizations about the pony's statements, which seemed so true that they were painful.

"WAIT" I Screamed, "I have one more question of you" The voice, distantly replied "I have time for one more, but I must be off soon to protect myself too, you know"

"Thank you" I replied "I need to know, why did Chartreuse not tell me this, unless you are her somehow" The voice chuckled a little "The castle butler is too disposable for her own good, and she enjoys her head when it rests on a neck, not a pike."

Something about the way Criminee stated his last sentence scared me in a way that I did not think possible. I tried to speak, but could not before Criminee began again.

"Good night, Princess, do be careful around who you may see as allies in these dark times, but do care for your sister, she is friendly to you and is in as much or even greater danger from _the_ _queen_"

I shed a tear "Thank you for telling me, I will remember to watch my back and protect my little sister" but my voice simply echoed through the empty halls, and I began to retreat to my room once more, closing the door gently behind me, listening to the sounds of hooves fading off in the distance.

**Rarity's POV**

I woke up in my cozy room, after hearing my door click closed loudly. I spoke out wearily "Who is there?" But there was no answer aside from the crackling fire. The ambient lighting of the room began to brighten as I scanned the room, and I noticed that there was a paper note weighed down by my element of harmony.

"Somebody better answer for this," I whined "I am loosing on my already shortened beauty-sleep." Nobody answered my call, but the note seemed to beckon to me, prompting a strange sense of urgency even in this dark hour. I willed myself to work out of the covers, yawning, and I sauntered over to the table where the note fluttered slightly.

The handwriting on the note was of an older style than I was used to reading. The calligraphy was beautiful indeed, and It looked to be written not long ago, as the ink still glimmered slightly in the light. I began to read the note, taking in every masterful stroke of the writing and its tone. I began to wish that such skill could be applied to the labels on my dresses.

_Rarity, please bring all other Element-Wearers to dining room of our castle immediately. Do not bring Zecora or the Princesses or the meeting is off. Elements of harmony need not be worn, I will be alone and am at the mercy of my Queen entirely. Be silent in your passage to the room, snacks await as well. I hope you consider, for I am doing this service to potentially save you from incredible perils._

_ Your Faithful Butler in darkest times_

_ -Criminee-_

_ PS: The dining room is to the left of the throne room, I am already there._

_ PPS: FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS HOLY, DO NOT TELL CHARTREUSE!_

I wondered what Criminee meant by perils, but I understood that the meeting described. I stepped cautiously into the darkened hallway, and moved down to other ponies' doors. On the left was Applejack's room, a known heavy sleeper and loud talker, unfortunately situated next to Zecora herself. I wondered why Zecora was not invited, but I somehow felt that Chartreuse could not lie and write so beautifully.

I knocked gently on the door and waited, but I heard no answer. I pushed the door in slightly, whispering "Applejack, Applejack, wake up please!"

"Alright Rainbow dash, ya asked fer it, and yer gonna get it!" The orange pony mumbled in her dreams. I recoiled slightly, trying not to picture what was inside Applejack's mind and put my hoof on her shoulder.

"ah ungh, wait WHAT THE HAY!" The pony exclaimed loudly. "Shh" I replied "Applejack it is me, Rarity, we mustn't wake Zecora. I have a note asking me to get you and the other three element-wearers to meet in the dining room tonight, without Zecora, Chartreuse, or the Princesses."

"Gosh Darn-it Rarity, why can't these things wait till the mornin'?" She asked, yawning. "I have no idea but it seems important. Will you join me?" I implored.

"Okay Okay, but ya better not be pullin' one of them pranks with Pinkie Pie!" She stated strongly, throwing herself out of bed. "I'll get Dash if ya don't mind getting' Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy." I strained against saying something, but I decided to hold my peace, like Pinkie Pie would for her friends alike.

I moved down the hall, tapping on Pinkie Pie's door. I heard hoofs touching the tiles inside, and suddenly the door burst open with a bouncing pink ball of energy. "RARITY! I love staying up late! Oh, it is all the others, is this a party? I LOVE PARTIES!"

"Pinkie Pie, CALM DOWN" I stated sternly, "We must be _quiet."_ Pinkie pie nodded, "ooh, this is a prank! I love pranks too! Who are we gonna prank this time, lemme guess... The Princesses?" I sighed, "No Pinkie Pie, this isn't a prank. We must meet the castle butler in the dining room, and we must be quiet about it." Pinkie Pie nodded, making a zipper motion in front of her lips.

Rainbow Dash's door opened, an indication that we were making too much noise as is. "Rarity, I know what you guys are up to, but you are not doing great at the _quiet_ part!" Remarked Rainbow Dash, chuckling lightly.

"Uh Rarity, what is it... that we are doing again?" Asked Fluttershy softly. I realized that I had not explained myself fully, marveling at the trust and eagerness of my very tired friends to help me without explanation. I began "I have a note from a Butler, Criminee, who stated that we are to come to the dining room without Zecora or the Princesses, because we are in some kind of peril. If you want to read the note I have it here."

The ponies all nodded in agreement, but Rainbow Dash peered over my shoulder at the note, checking it to be true. She nodded with me, and we all set off down the hall, treading silently on the hard floors.

The doors to the dining room were open, unlike when we entered the castle earlier. The room was well lit, and the smell of cake wafted out of the room. Rainbow Dash entered first, and we cautiously followed, finding a row of five empty chairs on the long red table. In front of the chairs cooled a beautifully decorated white cake.

A chair across from us turned around, revealing a flash of blue eyes set in red fur above the cake. A dark blue hoof pushed the cake to the side slightly, revealing the face of a mare, older than us, tired, but still somehow youthful. "Hello Rarity, I am Criminee, of the builders." Criminee stated, with an unusually hollow, monotone voice.

"Wearers of the elements, I am afraid you are at a very vulnerable state, in the absence of particular pony, which is a perfect time in which your disposal may be engineered." Criminee stated methodically, pausing to close the door with a wave of his hoof. The golden doors clicked closed, and a sudden whoosh of cool air rushed over the table, causing our napkins to flutter slightly.

"Dis... Disposal?" I asked, stumbling over the eerie statement that I could not believe I just heard. "Yes, disposal," Criminee continued "Two Princesses, now complete in their use of the cursed elements of _harmony_ are now working with an ancient _power_ to remove the last wall between them and total domination of the Equestrian realm."

"uh... Criminee..." the tiny voice of Fluttershy began "how do you mean cursed?" I looked back at Criminee, who was immersed in thought, suddenly snapping a hoof into the air. "Cursed, yes, the elements of _Harmony _do have their side effects, which I am sure you noticed"

Criminee left his chair, walking towards us, stopping when he was behind our chairs. "The elements themselves are harmless until worn, at which time they tend to begin washing over the personalities of the wearer. Prolonged exposure tends to turn figures into intolerable, one-dimensional victims of their once desirable personality traits."

Applejack chimed in "wait, ya mean to say we's been had for foals?" Criminee smiled slightly "Used, yes, in your own foolish trust of the leaders you wore those damned elements proudly, without realizing that Celestia could have used them just as before. Celestia simply realized that she did not want to come in contact with them again, and so she locked them into a very very airtight cell until she could find her very own six pawns!"

I was dumbfounded and struck by the words uttered by the crimson pony. I took my element off with my magic, then I casted it to the other corner of the huge room. Applejack bucked her element to the other corner of the room, listening closely as it skidded away.

"Smart choice, limiting exposure" stated Criminee "But I am afraid there has already been damage done."

Criminee continued his explanations, as I listened intently. "Remember how the books on the elements of harmony all contained a picture of a _green_ gem, but you have no such mount with you?" I nodded with the others, looking at my gem, which looked like it could fit with the other gems to form a whole again.

"Celestia had the Element of Forgiveness destroyed long ago, it, unlike the others is not a weapon, and possesses the power to heal and redeem others. Shew had no use for it, and I believe that it was not entirely destroyed, though Celestia would like it to be. Now where was I in my story..."

"Wait" Pinkie Pie interrupted "Celestia would poison us with the Elements of Harmony, and destroy the cure as well? I cannot believe that this... this... is true, I simply can't believe it."

Criminee smiled, "Ah, that is where I left off! Yes, Pinkie Pie, it is true, because Celestia has always been using you as pawns in her scheme to attain control over Equestria with Sanguine. With you and the elements, Celestia destroyed the will of her sister to stand in her way, and the noble duke who once stood between her and domination."

"Noble duke?" I asked "We never destroyed any noble figure except..."

"Discord!" Criminee laughed "The very soul you have been taught to hate in the history books was once a duke, with control over some of Equestria. He dared once stand up to Celestia, preventing her from turning Equestria into her dominion the last time the planets were positioned correctly..."

Criminee paused for a moment, thinking. "In return, he was portrayed as an evil evil ruler of the land, and was disfigured horribly. He broke free from his entrapment and attempted to save you from the elements, but he was unable to do so, and has been trapped again."

Criminee paused to stare at our surprised and angry expressions smiling. "I see from your faces that Celestia is as good of a liar as she always has been, but the truth is that the truth hurts, a lot sometimes." He continued "And so here we are today, the stars are aligned, Celestia and Sanguine are ready to make themselves powerful, Luna is nice and complacent to the powers of her Sister."

"Luna... Why would Luna be a component of a plan so wrong as this?" I asked, bewildered. Criminee placed his hoof on my shoulder "Simple, She does not want to spend any more time on the moon than she already has for trying to do the right thing."

I was speechless... thinking about the meaning of his last three words. Criminee began sharply just after the implications of his words sank in.

"All that remains between that trio and their perfect world is you five ponies. Twilight was already taken care of, if you remember. She was actually lifted magically by Sanguine, she did not jump, and it was all a ruse to divide you amongst yourselves."

Criminee finished, and cut himself a piece of cake, eating it with a contented smile on his face. "Criminee, I must ask why you would tell us of Celestia's plan rather than leaving us to our fate. Also, why was Zecora not supposed to be with us.?"

Criminee set his fork down on his napkin, leaving the half-finished piece of cake on his plate. "Zecora was an ally with Celestia in all the wrong ways since her appearance in Ponyville. She made a great spy, appearing as an outcast, earning your trust, acting as eyes and ears for a very crafty princess in the months leading to this planned event. As for me, I am telling you of this because I care."

"Uh, Criminee, I'm gonna need a better explanation than 'I care' from you before I go believin' everything you say." Stated Applejack strongly.

Criminee sighed, wiping the corner of his right eye with his hoof. "I knew of this a long while ago, because I access information that few other ponies around any castle do. I resolved myself to commit this treason against my Queen, because I was once forced to work with the Elements of harmony, and I was nearly destroyed in the process."

"Destroyed how?" I asked, looking at Criminee with a curious glance. Criminee looked back at me with a heavy heart, and handed me a picture. The picture was that of a young Criminee, with bright blue eyes and vivid purple hair. I looked at the picture carefully, noticing that the cutie mark in the picture was a chisel.

Criminee turned around, showing us that his cutie mark was now that of a book. He swung back, and lowered his head. All of my doubts about the pony instantly vanished. "But Criminee, there is no magic in Equestria powerful enough... to change..."

Criminee smiled, pointing over to our discarded elements in the corner of the room. "Some things take time, but you must have noticed that they were changing you... slowly"

We all nodded in agreement. Rainbow Dash piped up "Criminee, we need to know more than you have told us for sure, if we are to fight those two!"

Criminee shook his head at Rainbow, stating "It is too late to tell you any more than I have, you must return to bed to avoid suspicion. I do not advise you confront the Princesses and the Queen head on, but Avoid the Elements of harmony, attempt to save your other friend, and be alert and wary of Sanguine, Celestia, Luna, and especially Zecora. Do try to act as if everything is normal though, they may expedite their plans if they note you catching on, or if they sense an urgency to leave the castle."

Criminee pushed his chair away from the table, walking to a door on the other side of the room. "Goodnight, faithful but misled ponies. I am sorry that you are in such a state, truly I am." With that Criminee waved his hoof to erase the cake from existence, finally leaving the dining room with us in it.

We pushed our chairs in and checked for fallen crumbs, finding none, we left the room ourselves to return to our respective rooms, as the horizon took on the first shades of gray.

I parted ways with the group, intending to return to sleep as soon as possible. I found my room as it was, and closed the door as softly as possible, listening to the other doors in the hall opening and silently closing. I counted three doors closing with a slide of my hoof, listening for the last door, which never opened nor closed, lest while I was awake.

I sighed, tired, and shook my head. "It must be my lack of sleep that is causing me to loose focus" I remarked, finding my way to my glass-framed bed. My new necklace throbbed slightly, as if it were alive. I thought of leaving the necklace on the nightstand, but fell asleep in the warm embrace of my covers before my hoof even reached my neck.

**Windmere's POV**

"And I assure you, there is more where this came from, Windmere." Chuckled Criminee as he dropped a bag of gold dust on my table. "She is a tough one, I can tell that she will not succumb by words alone."

I nodded "When will she arrive, and what does she look like?" Criminee smiled "She is Purple, and is not a builder in appearance.Also, she is currently loyal to Celestia, Luna, and Sanguine, despite her current state of affairs.

"How much time do I have?" I asked, wondering how Criminee planned to make this days-long process take hours. Criminee smiled "Windmere,, Windmere" he began "Time is a strange process in the dimension of the builders, you have all the time in the world within this house, just so long as you keep this watch with you.

Criminee handed me a golden pocket watch, which was normal in appearance save for a tiny lever on the side of the watch with + on one side and – on the other side. I twisted the dial towards minus, noticing that the grandfather clock and the pocket watch began to tick more and more slowly.

"Enjoy, Windmere, but I need the watch back when you are done!" laughed Criminee. "Remember, Windmere, by any means necessary, but do not cause permanent mental damage or apparent physical harm... Oh, and by the way, here is her new _element_"

Criminee handed me a silver jewelry box, and promptly left the room to rejoin the real world. I set the watch to normal time, and trotted over to a couch in the living room. The living room, much unlike other buildings in Sanguine's universe, was finished in very dark lacquered wood, with red-stained wood floorboards. The walls were painted midnight blue, and a giant fireplace sat without any fire.

There was no blue lighting in Criminee's house, instead the rooms were lit with bright gas lamps, which were all very hot to the touch, and cast patterns of light on the floor that reacted to any slight breeze. There were few windows in the house, and none in the living room, but exterior hallways included small windows and slits for ranged weapons. In Criminee's own words, the windows were "For Defense and not aesthetics."

The grandfather clock struck 4 AM, indicating a time Criminee mentioned was special to him, but he never explained why. A pipe organ in the distance began to play a beautiful but dark song, that I had never heard before. I relaxed on the couch, as the song began to send me deeper and deeper into the darkest reaches of mental understanding, as if the organ was directing forces of evil through its deep voices.

I relaxed on the couch, listening the the song finish between its intricate trills and deep chords. My boredom was getting to me, as I began to stare at my reflection in the very smooth finished floors. I was beginning to show my age, my dark purple coat was becoming more gray and less vibrant than it used to be.

I used my hoof to brush my silvery mane into a slightly less intimidating cut, as for the nature of the job I needed to do. I smiled at my reflection as the sound of hooves began to approach the front doors. The hooves stopped, and the organ began to blast a deep reverberating chord, indicating that a pony was pressing the doorbell button.

I opened the door, finding a small purple pony, different slightly in frame than the builders I was used to seeing. She was young, not a child, but not fully mature either. "Hello, Twilight Sparkle" I stated, smiling. "You are welcome here."

The purple pony cautiously stepped inside, wary of my presence. I felt the green gem shivering within its silver tin, as the pony approached, and I could tell that she had powerful control over magic. I closed the great doors behind Twilight as she marveled at the change of atmosphere. The pony scanned the room, paying less attention to me than she should have, as I readied my hoof to... strike!

I heard a sharp thunk as the butt of my trusted sword jarred the skull of the purple mare. She fell to the floor, knocked out cold. I tapped the watch to its slowest setting, observing the clock slowing in the hall as seconds became minutes, and minutes became hours.

The little pony breathed slowly, unaware of her surroundings, and I took notice of her firm haunches and toned flanks. She was certainly more than legal age, likely a student. I could sense her innocence from the moment we first met, she was just the type of young mare I enjoyed breaking on so very many levels. With a touch of alcohol and the mere willingness to push... A little mare such as this could be so easily turned.

"Goddamn, she is perfect!" I exclaimed, noting every detail of her form and figure. I remembered my previous escapades as a castle guard, pouring cheap, hard liquor down little mares throats. None were quite as special to me as Twilight here though, her purple color indicated strong lineages running deep in her veins. Every one of her features was delicate, and elegant, from her hocks to the beautiful angles on her cheekbones.

I lit a cigarette, clenching it not in my lips, but with my teeth. The smoke curled gently towards the high ceiling, as I laid a hoof on the mare's side. I pulled the Cigarette out, looking toward the sleeping mare, exclaiming "I am going to WRECK you!"


End file.
